The Warrenton girls basketball team will host its annual winter tournament next weekend, and this time the Warriors enter with their highest seed ever at No. 2. Activities Director Bobby Spoonster says the excitement level surrounding the event is heightened by the school’s increased chances of securing a trophy.“I expect our kids to compete well in this tournament,” said Spoonster. “Any time you feel like you’ve got a great shot to win your own tournament in front of your fanbase, it gets people excited. It’s the kind of thing a coach marks down on his calendar.”Games will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at both Warrenton High School and the Black Hawk Fieldhouse.Returning champion Duchesne reclaimed the No. 1 seed.“We’re happy to have some bigger schools and quality opponents coming in for this year’s event,” said Spoonster.Here’s how this year’s field stacks up against the competition.No. 1 Duchesne vs. No. 8 Warrenton Junior VarsityThe defending champion Pioneers are 8-2, having fallen to St. Dominic and Jennings.Duchesne is led by Katie Sportsman at 11.8 points per contest, while Morgan Plachmeier is averaging 10.6 points each night.Natalie Schroeder adds 9.8 points and is the team’s leading rebounder with 6.9 boards per game, as Savannah Pieper hauls in 5.8 rebounds per game.The Warrenton junior varsity takes the place of Barat Academy, who was a late forfeit due to a limited number of participants.No. 4 Howell North vs. No. 5 Fort Zumwalt NorthFrancis Howell North enters the tournament 3-6, having taken second place at the Orchard Tournament where it captured two wins against Timberland and Lutheran North.The Knights also defeated Rockwood Summit, while taking their most lopsided loss against Washington.Austine Pauley is leading Howell North with 15 points per game, while grabbing 4.6 rebounds. Jessica Brady has been responsible for 6.4 points and 5.9 rebounds.Fort Zumwalt North has had a plethora of close games en route to a 4-6 start and is coming off two wins.Rachel Pudlowski leads the Panthers with 11.9 points and 6.5 rebounds each night, but Emily Vanhooser has been the most accurate shooter at 55 percent from the field.Meanwhile, Caitlyn Delaney is dropping in 9.3 points and 1.7 rebounds.No. 2 Warrenton vs. No. 7 Liberty WentzvilleThe Warriors opened the new year with wins over Fort Zumwalt East and Liberty, improving to 5-1.Hannah Sutton has been a team leader thus far with 17.7 points, while grabbing 2.7 boards and grabbing 1.67 steals per contest.Jenny Sutton is averaging 13 points and a team-best 5.3 rebounds per game.The next highest scorer is Kylie Toebben at 5.3 points, while the Warriors are receiving a balance of points from underclassmen.Liberty, the new school in Wentzville, is still searching for its first win.Avery Ingle has been a leader with 16 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest, while Mackinsey Hamer is adding seven points per contest.Savannah Kruse and Tori Harris have been leading rebounders for the Eagles.No. 3 Howell Central vs. No. 6 MexicoHowell Central is currently 4-6, having taken the consolation prize at the Lutheran St. Charles Tournament in early December.To make a comparison between the third and fourth-seeded teams in this field, Howell Central defeated Howell North by 20 points during a first-semester meeting.The Spartans are led by Emma Raup with 11.2 points a game, while Emma Farley has added 10.1 points each night.Mexico, which has traditionally been a higher seed in this tournament, is down this year after a 2-7 start.Remaining GamesThe second round of contests will take place on Wednesday at 6 and 7:30 p.m., with first-round winners playing at the high school and losers playing at the fieldhouse. Trophy-round games will all be held at the high school, beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday.“We want to run a quality tournament that is kid-, coach- and fan-friendly and that people will enjoy enough they want to come back,” said Spoonster. “We have some things on tap for this tournament to hopefully take it to another level from where it is.”TOURNAMENT BEGINS MONDAYBill Barrett photo.